The present invention relates to carrying and display cases, and more particularly, to a display and carrying case suitable for carrying and separately displaying a doll, and a clothing ensemble for the doll as well as doll accessories.
Numerous advertising and marketing techniques are used to enhance the sale of retail products to consumers. One technique that has proven profitable in retail sales is the presentation of products in a manner that is visually appealing to the consumer. Many consumers desire to gather as much information about a product as possible and efforts have been made to visually display products in a manner which assists the consumers in making an informed purchase. Packaging containers are commonly constructed to meet this goal through the provision of transparent windows or large openings that enable the product to be viewed therethrough. One drawback of such prior art containers is that they are usually constructed for displaying and storing a single product or object and not capable of displaying multiple products or objects.
One prior art container or case of interest here is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,551 to Kaufman. The Kaufman patent discloses a rectangular container comprising four sides, a top end, and a bottom end. Each of the four sides includes a window. The container further comprises a partition that divides the container into four quadrants. Each quadrant includes a shelf suitable for supporting an object and a storage space for a book, such that both the object and book are visible through the window. In addition, a string is attached to top end in order to facilitate carrying of the container.
Another prior art container of interest is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,439 to Dennis. The Dennis patent discloses a portable storage container for storing dolls. The container includes a variety of inserts for dividing the container into a plurality of compartments, doors that open into each compartment, an upper storage space or area disposed above each compartment, and further doors that open into each of the upper storage spaces, together with a carrying strap.
As indicated above, the present invention is particularly concerned with a case for carrying and displaying a doll as well as clothing and accessories for the doll and, more specifically, with a case for this purpose that provides a full unobstructed view of the doll and other items when viewed from the exterior of the carrying case. Moreover, the carrying and display case of the invention is of a sturdy, rugged construction which lends itself to use by young children and which is relatively simple and inexpensive to make. In addition, the case construction is such as to provide ready access to the contents thereof without loss of case sturdiness and to this end, the case includes a zipper fastener which securely contains the contents within the carrying case and also permits easy access to the interior compartments of the carrying case.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a display and carrying case for a doll and doll accessories, said carrying case comprising:
a container defining an interior compartment and comprising a top member, a bottom member and transparent side walls defining a lateral perimeter; a zipper fastener provided in an upper portion of said container substantially adjacent to said top member and extending at least partially around the lateral perimeter of the container for, when unzipped, permitting lifting and pivoting of said top member away from said side walls so as to provide access to said interior compartment; a handle attached to said container for carrying said container; and a partition, disposed in said interior compartment in said container and comprising a plurality of radiating members radiating from a central point, for dividing said interior compartment into a plurality of sub-compartments defined between adjacent radiating members such that a doll and doll accessories separately disposed in different ones of said sub-compartments can be viewed through said side walls.
Advantageously, the transparent side walls comprise clear vinyl walls and
the container is of a rectangular shape having four sides.
Preferably, the zipper fastener is affixed to three sides of said four sides and the partition comprises a separate insert comprising four radiating members, said insert being disposed in said interior compartment of said container so as to divide said interior compartment into four sub-compartments, each facing one of said four sides.
Advantageously, a doll is received in one of said sub-compartments so as to be visibly displayed on one of said four sides. In addition, at least one item of doll clothing ensemble is received in a second of said sub-compartments so as to be visibly displayed on a second side of said four sides, and at least one doll accessory is received in a third and a fourth of said sub-compartments so as to be visibly displayed on third and fourth sides of said four sides.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the container is of a round shape having a round side wall and said sub-compartments face a convex curved portion of said side wall.
Preferably, the partition comprises a separate insert comprising four radiating members, said insert being disposed in said interior compartment of said container so as to divide said interior compartment into four sub-compartments.
Advantageously, a doll is received in one of said sub-compartments so as to be visible through a respective convex curved portion of said side wall. In addition, at least one item of doll clothing ensemble is received in a second of said sub-compartments so as to be visible through a respective convex curved portion of said side wall, and at least one doll accessory is received in third and fourth of said sub-compartments so as to be visible through a respective convex curved portion of said side wall.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided, in combination, a doll, doll accessories for the doll and a carrying and display case therefor, comprising: a rectangular container defining an interior compartment and comprising an opaque top member, and an opaque bottom member and four transparent sides defining a lateral perimeter; a zipper fastener provided in an upper portion of said container substantially adjacent to said top member and extending at least partially around the lateral perimeter of the container for, when unzipped, permitting lifting and pivoting of said top member away from said side walls so as to provide access to said interior compartment; a handle attached to said top member of said container for carrying said container; a separate cardboard insert of an x-shaped transverse cross section for partitioning said interior compartment into four triangular quadrants, each facing one of said four sides; a doll disposed in one quadrant of said four quadrants so that said doll is visible through one of said four transparent sides; a clothing ensemble for said doll, disposed in a second quadrant of said four quadrants so that said clothing ensemble is visible through a second of said four sides; and doll accessories disposed in a third and a fourth of said four quadrants so that said doll accessories are visible through said third and said fourth side of said four sides.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided, in combination, a doll, doll accessories for the doll and a carrying and display case thereof, comprising: a container having a round side wall formed of transparent material, a top member and a bottom member defining an interior compartment; a zipper fastener provided in an upper portion of said container substantially adjacent to said top member and extending at least partially around the side wall of the container for, when unzipped, permitting lifting and pivoting of said top member away from a portion of said side wall so as to provide access to said interior compartment; a handle attached to said container for carrying said container; a separate cardboard insert of an x-shaped transverse cross section for partitioning said interior compartment into four quadrants, each quadrant facing a convex curved portion of said side wall; a doll disposed in one quadrant of said four quadrants so that said doll is visible through a respective convex curved portion of said side wall; a clothing ensemble for said doll, disposed in a second quadrant of said four quadrants so that said clothing ensemble is visible through a respective convex curved portion of said side wall; and doll accessories disposed in a third and a fourth of said four quadrants so that said doll accessories are visible through a third and a fourth respective convex curved portion of said side wall.